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Columbus Lake Conservation Area

Photo credit: Allen Brisson-Smith

In 2013, The Trust for Public Land helped create a new conservation area in northeast Anoka County—providing sport hunters with a new outdoor resource just 20 minutes from the Twin Cities. The land includes a rich mixture of wetland types that provide habitat for many species of waterfowl, while the woodlands are home to pheasant, turkey, and deer. The project ensures that nearly all of the shoreline of Columbus Lake and half a mile of Rice Creek are protected from development.

Anoka County will manage 258 acres as the Columbus Lake Conservation Area for public hunting. An additional 85 acres was added to Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park Reserve, improving public access for nature observation and hiking. This completes a corridor of conservation land more than 20 miles long extending from Lamprey Pass Wildlife Management Area and along Rice Creek to the Mississippi River.

Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR), the Outdoor Heritage Fund as recommended by the Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council (LSOHC), the Metropolitan Council, and Anoka County.

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Working from more than 30 offices nationwide, The Trust for Public Land helps communities raise funds, conduct research and planning, acquire and protect land, and design and renovate parks, playgrounds, trails, and gardens.